Lovers Bridge

Paris, France

This is the Ponts des Arts bridge in Paris. Lovers come here and put a lock of love on the bridge and then throw the key in to the river below. Many times they write their names on the locks, or their initials and the date. Lucy and I captured a couple just married on the bridge. It is a very romantic bridge, but I have just read this sad news.

Paris has long cashed in on its image as the global city of love, with tourists flocking by the million to soak up the romantic ambience of its cafes, restaurants, cobbled streets and monuments.

But the Socialist-run town hall has announced that lovers' growing trend of sticking cadenas d'amour (love padlocks) to the railings of the Pont des Arts bridge over the Seine linking the Left Bank to the Louvre is defacing the monument and has to stop, Another, the Passerelle Léopold-Senghor linking the Tuileries gardens to the Musée d'Orsay has been similarly adorned.

Since the fad took off around two years ago, almost 2,000 padlocks of all shapes, colours and sizes are now locked to the bridges and emblazoned with messages of eternal love.

But a town hall spokesman said the practice "poses the question of preserving heritage," adding that "in time, these padlocks will have to be removed".

One municipal source said the rusty locks were becoming an eyesore on one of Paris' most photogenic monuments.